Final Huddle: UC Beats SMU 29-27 in Sloppy Road Outing

UC is still undefeated in the AAC but it wasn't easy.

CINCINNATI — The forgotten phase took center stage in Cincinnati's (6-1, 3-0) 29-27 win over the SMU Mustangs (3-4, 1-2).

Ryan Coe set a program record with five field goals on a day when the UC offense went 0-for-5 scoring TDs in the red zone. Luckily, Ivan Pace Jr. (team-high nine tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1.5 TFLs, one pass break up) and the defense made enough plays to help Cincinnati win its 19th-straight AAC game.

Here's the Final Huddle on a fourth-consecutive victory over SMU and the program victory record for Luke Fickell.

Clutch Coe, Monster Mason

© Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK

Coe was a big storyline this offseason after UC finished bottom-three nationally in FG percentage last season. All UC kickers made nine total FGs last season—Coe went 5-of-6 on Saturday, including two makes from 44 yards and a season-long 52-yarder.

It is the new high mark in UC history after ten separate instances where a Bearcat made four field goals in a game, the last happening in 2015.

It was the nice yin to a yanging UC offense that struggled to pass the ball and, as mentioned, failed to score a TD on all five trips to the red zone. Cincinnati had been very fortunate over the past 14 months not to have a game swing on the foot of a kicker.

That time finally struck, and they had the perfect man for the job in the Delaware transfer. It's another instance where a key transfer is playing a direct role in Bearcat wins and losses.

Punter Mason Fletcher had a historic day himself, blasting the longest punt of the college football season and program history 84 yards in the first half. It ended up rolling in for a touchback, but Fletcher averaged 65 yards on three punts and put the other two inside the SMU 20.

Penalty Party

© Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The lingering issue from this season just won't seem to end. The Bearcats played another sloppy game discipline-wise in Texas. UC set season-highs in penalties (14) and yards (127) against SMU. Offensively, it had to be maddening for Bearcats fans watching the team commit six false starts and constantly get behind the chains on offense.

Defensively, there were 10 penalties alone on that side of the ball, but only seven got accepted. Diving deeper they had five personal foul/roughing the passer penalties, a couple of pass interference calls, and a running into the kicker that fortunately didn't give SMU a first down.

The 14 penalties weren't enough to end an 18-game conference winning streak, but another showing like that against UCF's run game next week or Tulane's defense to close the year isn't something to mess with. 

It's hard for this situation to get much worse seven games into the season. 

Cincinnati entered the game 128th nationally in penalty yards per game (79.86) and will likely move below Alabama after the sloppiness in Dallas.

Off-Kilter Offense

© Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The Bearcats got a decent showing on the ground against SMU (179 yards, 4.3 yards per carry) in an otherwise rough day for the offense. Ben Bryant recovered from his concussion well enough to play, but he did not look sharp on a windy day in Texas.

The senior finished 18-of-35 passing for 200 yards and a 99.4 QB rating, his lowest of the season by 24 points. It looked like his worst performance of the fall in real-time. Bryant missed some key throws here and there, and his receivers didn't help much either.

Leading pass-catcher Tyler Scott missed the game with an ankle injury. The absence was glaring as Tre Tucker and Nick Mardner each had a pair of drops—including one on by Mardner on a patented post-rout rope in the end zone. The drive ended in a blocked FG attempt and Coe's only miss of the day.

Cincinnati luckily dominated possession (36:46 TOP) as they averaged just 4.9 yards per play (102nd nationally over a full season). SMU came into this game allowing the 10th-highest EPA per rush in the country, and UC leaned on that just enough to win. 

Yet, you'd still like to see more than four explosive runs on the day.

Charles McClelland (16 carries, 129 yards, one score) exploded with a 76-yard TD for UC's longest-scoring play of the season, but only one other run gained more than 11 yards.

Back to the passing game, Tucker and Bryant struggled to connect. Bryant was 1-of-5 targeting Tucker and 2-of-4 going to Mardner. He started very slow as well—missing his first five throws of the game. 

UC had nice timing on deep passes (5-of-11, 120 yards), but the short passing/line of scrimmage throwing was a mess (12-of-19 for 70 yards on targets inside ten yards). Bryant never got the players many YAC chances, or the blocking just fell apart. 

Cincinnati has plenty to clean up in its passing game before another road trip next week to face 5-1 UCF.

Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more.

You May Also Like the following:

UC Basketball Morphing New Identity on Both Ends Heading Into 2022-23 Season

Game Preview: SMU Welcomes UC to Texas for AAC Clash

Report: New Big 12 Media Rights Deal Possible 'in Matter of Weeks'

Ivan Pace Jr. Wins Three National Honors in PFF's Midseason Awards

Bearcats Offer Three-Star 2024 QB Danny O'Neill

Watch: UC's Jowon Briggs on His Bye Week Routine, His Strong 2022 Showing, Technique Tweaks

Watch: UC DL Coach Walt Stewart on Being Back at UC, Syncing the Front Seven, and More

The Athletic Names Multiple Bearcats to Midseason All-American Lists

Four-Star 2024 PG Labaron Philon Names UC in Top-Eight Schools

Ten Thoughts on the UC Men's Basketball Non-Conference Schedule

Luke Fickell: Bye Week Came at 'Pretty Good Time'

Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Posting Historic Numbers Early Into NFL Career

UC Moves to No. 19 in AP Poll, Stays at No. 21 in Coaches Poll

Watch: Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Rocks Packers' Cheesehead Following Win

Three-Star Edge Rusher Brian 'Mook' Simms III Commits to UC

UC Football Hangs Onto Top-25 Status in Latest Recruiting Rankings

Report: UC to Face Bob Huggins, West Virginia Multiple Times Per Season in Big 12

UC Football First-Half Grades

AAC Coaches Project UC as Top-Three Team; David Dejulius Named Preseason All-AAC

UC Football First-Half Turning Points

Ivan Pace Jr. PFF's Highest Graded Player at Season Midpoint

Four-Star Center Arrinten Page Places UC in Top-Four Schools

Bearcats Q&A: UC Guard Chase Kirkwood

-----

Be sure to keep it locked on All Bearcats all the time!

Follow All Bearcats on Twitter: @AllBearcats

Like All Bearcats on FaceBook: All Bearcats

Follow All Bearcats on Instagram: @BearcatsTalk